Chocolate chip cookie cake

When I got my super, extraordinary Mother’s Day present, Sam asked me if I would please make something with it “just for fun.” What that really meant was not another cake. But when I found this recipe at Culinary Concoctions by Peabody, he jumped on board. We love chocolate chip cookies. And Sam and I are big, big fans of dark chocolate. I figured we’d combine the two. Just for fun.

I followed Peabody’s recipe for the cake. It’s delish, but I wish the layers were thicker. Next time I’ll bake them in smaller pans or maybe just make two layers instead of three. I also had some Guiradelli Twilight Delight bars in the pantry just waiting to be turned into a thick ganache. All I can say is I’m darn thankful that dark chocolate has some health properties. That’s a lot of chocolate! But it’s sooo good. Washed down with something icy cold and you’ve got a great treat. I think it passes the “just for fun” test with flying colors.

***Update on Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake: We have really loved this cake and it just got better once the chocolate ganache firmed up. It’s no longer gooey and messy, but it’s still delicious. At first I was thinking that I’d like thicker layers of cake, but I’ve totally changed my mind. Next time, I think I’d double the recipe and make it a 6 layer sky high cake, with no ganache on top so you can really get that it’s a cookie. Doesn’t that sound dreamy? 6 layers of chocolate chip cookie with dark chocolate filling? Sigh. I can’t wait to try it again!***

Recipe: Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake

(from Culinary Concoctions by Peabody)

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup all purpose flour

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

generous 1/3 c. creamy peanut butter

1 large egg

1 egg yolk

1/4 cup sour cream

1/4 cup hot water

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

Grease three 9″ pans. Line the bottoms with parchment or waxed paper circles. Set aside.

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Mix together brown sugar, peanut butter and butter for two minutes. Add egg and egg yolk and mix for another 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of bowl and mix for another minute.

Add half of the flour mixture and mix until incorporated. Then add the sour cream, mixing again until incorporated. Gradually add the remaining flour mixture. Add the hot water in a slow, steady stream and mix on low to combine, about 30 seconds. Add the vanilla and mix. Add the chocolate chips and use a rubber spatula to finish stirring the ingredients until thoroughly combined.

Divide the cake batter into the prepared pans, spreading it evenly. Bake for about 16 minutes.

Recipe: Dark Chocolate Ganache

9 oz. dark chocolate, chopped (I used about 3 Ghiradelli Twilight Delight bars, minus the pieces I nibbled on while I was breaking them up.)

1 c. heavy cream

Place chocolate in a medium bowl. Heat cream until nearly boiling, but watch carefully. When the first bubbles appear, remove from heat and pour over chopped chocolate. Whisk until smooth. Allow to cool for a few minutes, then whisk again to fluff up texture. Spread between cake layers and on top of cake.

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Sigh. So much yummy stuff and SUCH great photos of it.
Speaking of great photos — thanks for your compliments. I guess it’s a combination of having a great personal photographer (smile) and I guess I’m feeling really happy–probably more than I consciously realize! I must say though that I am very into the SBing groove, which is good for me, b/c just the other day I felt like my pages were just so blah and boring and I wasn’t inspired at all. So I’m loving my pages too.

Mmmmmm, it does look and the six layers sounds even better! Michelle you sure know how to have fun.

You asked about the recipe I used for pizza dough? If you’d like I can email you the recipe. (I know I read where it said you can play with the types of flour you use but that it will obviously change the end results some.) It was waaaaaaaaaaaaay easy. Babygirl and I set out and measured all the ingredients and she did the rest.
~ingrid